Let's take this a step further. IMO, we started winning because we were getting better. Fewer penalties and mistakes at inappropriate moments. Better overall play and play-calling. And a team that was playing for each other, and their coaches.

Put it all together and we were just a better football team at the end of the year than we were at the beginning of the year. So we deserved to win the games we won. We beat teams we were supposed to beat. And a couple of teams we maybe shouldn't have beat.

We had a young team, it just took them some time to learn to win. If we can continue to build upon that momentum. This is going to be a very good year in Panther Nation.

Strength of schedule helped but it wasn't the only thing. We had better play calling. Better game management. Cam was playing more relaxed. Our Dline was wreaking havoc. No Nakamura and no Josh Norman. Our backup linebackers improved to the point they were more effective than Beason was. Better use of our running backs.

Keep in mind we lost a ton of games in the 4th quarter regardless of competition. We were only destroyed twice all season. So don't sit here and tell me we couldn't hang with the big boys, because we did.

Let's take this a step further. IMO, we started winning because we were getting better. Fewer penalties and mistakes at inappropriate moments. Better overall play and play-calling. And a team that was playing for each other, and their coaches.

Put it all together and we were just a better football team at the end of the year than we were at the beginning of the year. So we deserved to win the games we won. We beat teams we were supposed to beat. And a couple of teams we maybe shouldn't have beat.

We had a young team, it just took them some time to learn to win. If we can continue to build upon that momentum. This is going to be a very good year in Panther Nation.

Strength of schedule helped but it wasn't the only thing. We had better play calling. Better game management. Cam was playing more relaxed. Our Dline was wreaking havoc. No Nakamura and no Josh Norman. Our backup linebackers improved to the point they were more effective than Beason was. Better use of our running backs.

Keep in mind we lost a ton of games in the 4th quarter regardless of competition. We were only destroyed twice all season. So don't sit here and tell me we couldn't hang with the big boys, because we did.

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IMO, we lost so many 4th quarter leads because of a lack of depth on the Dline. By the end of the game our guys were gassed. Star and Short should go a long way at solving that dilemma.

Our DEs should now be used primarily on the edge where they are infinitely more effective. Fresh legs late in the game will be huge for this team.

I am also interested to see who comes off the field when we go to nickel and dime situations? Davis had a great year, would hate for him to be off the field. Keek, feel about the same. Beast, if healthy, and he should be, would be hard to take off the field as well.

The whole no one took us seriously argument is pretty weak. No respectable coach in the NFL let's their players take it easy against any opponent. It's the National Football League and the talent between teams is way closer than any fan ever realizes. They don't sleep on anyone. Shitty game plan maybe, but they don't willingly sleep on teams.

We finally had some luck go our way instead of god cheating us. Some of our losses were just pure baffling. We were the better team in many of those losses.

Yeah what this man said.

Sure, we faced weaker competition... but jesus, damn near all of our losses were fuging mind-numbing. Right off the top of my head we should have won:

1st Atlanta game- God I would've loved to sweep those arrogant fugers. Cam's fumble/Nakamura's... well whatever the hell it was he was trying to do. Looked like the dude tried to jump and only managed a half-inch before falling backwards. And of course the two worst plays of the game happen in succession during the closing moments of the game (seemed to be a developing theme for us all season long).

Seahawks game- Wtf was up with that game-winning wide open TD pass into the dirt Cam? Like seriously? You have to make those 11 times out of 10 and twice on Sunday dude.

Chicago game- Bleh... equally as bad as the first ATL game. Smitty trips on a route, so in typical Panther's fashion that results in a pick-6. Yaaaay, go Panthers! At least your terrible luck is consistent. Not to mention the slant... slant... slant... slant......... slant............ slant... walk off FG to lose the game.

Dallas game- Ref screwjob... 4 back-to-back bad calls at the end lol, though to be fair if we played like we should have this game shouldn't have even been close. Either way, we got hosed.

2nd Tampa Bay game- Only damn game I went to all season. I knew better than to get my fuging hopes up with an 11 point lead with just a few minutes left to go... but I fuged up and got a slimmer of hope anyways. We beat the bastards thoroughly ALL game then they drop 11 points in like 3 minutes to force OT and do something they weren't able to do all game... MARCH DOWN THE fuging FIELD AND SCORE. And just like that OT was over. Goddamn that was one hell of a ride back home.

We really didn't have any business losing that Chiefs game, but that was actually a normal loss at least when compared to the others seeing as the remaining two were blowout losses. Haha, the only 'normal' loss all season came to the worst fuging team in the league. Even if Brady Quinn did look like the most accurate quarterback in NFL history out there.

If we weren't the most unlucky mother fugers in the league last season (0-13 on coin tosses... lol. 0-15 if you count preseason) then we would have won the majority of those I just listed. And that was even when our offense was still in limp dick mode. If only Chud hadn't been a fuging moron to start the season and called a normal game we probably could've been goddamn 14-2 last year. That's what pisses me off the most about the season.

Sure, we faced weaker competition... but jesus, damn near all of our losses were fuging mind-numbing. Right off the top of my head we should have won:

1st Atlanta game- God I would've loved to sweep those arrogant fugers. Cam's fumble/Nakamura's... well whatever the hell it was he was trying to do. Looked like the dude tried to jump and only managed a half-inch before falling backwards. And of course the two worst plays of the game happen in succession during the closing moments of the game (seemed to be a developing theme for us all season long).

Seahawks game- Wtf was up with that game-winning wide open TD pass into the dirt Cam? Like seriously? You have to make those 11 times out of 10 and twice on Sunday dude.

Chicago game- Bleh... equally as bad as the first ATL game. Smitty trips on a route, so in typical Panther's fashion that results in a pick-6. Yaaaay, go Panthers! At least your terrible luck is consistent. Not to mention the slant... slant... slant... slant......... slant............ slant... walk off FG to lose the game.

Dallas game- Ref screwjob... 4 back-to-back bad calls at the end lol, though to be fair if we played like we should have this game shouldn't have even been close. Either way, we got hosed.

2nd Tampa Bay game- Only damn game I went to all season. I knew better than to get my fuging hopes up with an 11 point lead with just a few minutes left to go... but I fuged up and got a slimmer of hope anyways. We beat the bastards thoroughly ALL game then they drop 11 points in like 3 minutes to force OT and do something they weren't able to do all game... MARCH DOWN THE fuging FIELD AND SCORE. And just like that OT was over. Goddamn that was one hell of a ride home back.

We really didn't have any business losing that Chiefs game, but that was actually a normal loss at least when compared to the others seeing as the remaining two were blowout losses. Haha, the only 'normal' loss all season came to the worst fuging team in the league. Even if Brady Quinn did look like the most accurate quarterback in NFL history out there.

If we weren't the most unlucky mother fugers in the league last season (0-13 on coin tosses... lol. 0-15 if you count preseason) then we would have won the majority of those I just listed. And that was even when our offense was still in limp dick mode. If only Chud hadn't been a fuging moron to start the season and called a normal game we probably would've been goddamn 14-2 last year.

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Live in the past much? jk

My hope is that this team uses that adversity for good. They learned how little the difference is between winning and losing. And what it actually takes to earn a victory in this league. I have heard multiple players mention the culture they have cultivated now. Precisely because they know what it takes, they all are working that much harder.

I still say it all comes down to momentum. As it usually does. We had momentum at the end of the year. If we can build upon it, we are going to be scary.

Remember in that Seahawks game when Jonathan Stewart ran for a first down, fumbled it, then recovered behind the line to gain? He was out of bounds and we didn't challenge the call. If the ball is recovered out of bounds it's returned to the spot of the fumble. We would have kept possession... That sort of ridiculous poo happened all season.

Remember in that Seahawks game when Jonathan Stewart ran for a first down, fumbled it, then recovered behind the line to gain? He was out of bounds and we didn't challenge the call. If the ball is recovered out of bounds it's returned to the spot of the fumble. We would have kept possession... That sort of ridiculous poo happened all season.

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I am truly sorry for this. But, I have to tell you you are incorrect. They spot that ball where it went out of bounds. Technically, You cannot recover a ball when it is out of bounds.

But yeah. How can so many of those type plays happen to us? Ii is truly mind-badgering.

If we can win half those type games this year. It is gonna be a fun time in the ol' town. Shouldn't the laws of Murphy start working in our favor soon?